Autofill shutoff valve

ABSTRACT

An autofill shutoff valve includes a valve body mounted to a lubricant reservoir and secured to a fill tube extending into the reservoir. The autofill shutoff valve has a valve stem extending through the valve body and into the lubricant reservoir. The valve stem is actuated by a plate disposed within the reservoir from a first position, wherein lubricant flows from a lubricant inlet to a lubricant outlet through the valve body, to a second position, wherein the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant through the valve body. The autofill shutoff valve provides lubricant directly to the reservoir, thereby eliminating external plumbing and the autofill shutoff valve also prevents overfill of the reservoir by cutting off the flow when the reservoir is full.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/151,593 filed Apr. 23, 2015, and entitled “CENTER FILL OF RESERVOIRFOR PUMP”; to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/154,222 filed Apr. 29,2015, and entitled “AUTO FILL SHUTOFF WITH LOW LEVEL”; to U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/302,395 filed Mar. 2, 2016, and entitled“RESERVOIR OVER FILL PROTECTION”; and to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/302,417 filed Mar. 2, 2016, and entitled “AUTO FILL SHUT OFF BALLCHECK AIR VENT VALVE” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporatedin their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to lubrication systems. Moreparticularly, the disclosure relates to a fill system for a lubricantreservoir.

Machinery often requires lubrication to function. Seals, pistons,bearings, and other parts require lubrication with small, measuredamounts of grease or oil over short, frequent time intervals to preventwear, corrosion, over-lubrication, or under-lubrication. Lubricant fluidis injected at specific locations that require lubrication by lubricantmetering devices. A local lubricant reservoir stores the lubricant untilthe lubricant is to be applied. The lubricant reservoir holds a limitedvolume of lubricant and must be refilled from a larger lubricant sourcewhen the lubricant reservoir is low. Lubricant fluid is drawn from thelubricant reservoir and pumped to the lubricant metering devices via alubrication line. The lubricant metering devices are configured toinject a set, small amount of lubricant fluid to the specific locationwithin the machinery once the pressure within the lubrication linereaches a predetermined level. After the lubricant metering devices havedispensed the lubricant, the pressure within the lubrication line isrelieved, thereby resetting the lubricant system for another lubricationcycle.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a lubricant reservoir includes a housing, areservoir inlet, an actuator, and an autofill shutoff valve. The housingdefines a reservoir. The reservoir inlet extends through a top of thehousing. The actuator is disposed in the housing and divides the housinginto an upper portion and a lower portion, and the actuator isconfigured to shift upwards in response to a rising lubricant levelwithin the lower portion. The autofill shutoff valve is disposed on thehousing and includes a valve body, a lubricant flowpath extendingthrough the valve body, a lubricant inlet extending into the valve bodyand connected to the lubricant flowpath, a first lubricant outletextending into the valve body and connected to the lubricant flowpathand disposed adjacent the housing and configured to provide lubricantdirectly to the housing, and a valve stem extending through thelubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and the lubricant outlet.The valve stem is movable between a first position, corresponding to arefill state, and a second position, corresponding to a filled state.The valve stem also allows lubricant to flow from the lubricant inlet tothe first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the first positionand the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant between the lubricantinlet and the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is in thesecond position.

According to another embodiment, an autofill shutoff valve includes avalve body, a lubricant flowpath extending through the valve body, alubricant inlet extending into the valve body and connected to thelubricant flowpath, a first lubricant outlet extending into the valvebody and connected to the lubricant flowpath, and a valve stem extendingthrough the lubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and thelubricant outlet. The first lubricant outlet is disposed adjacent thelubricant reservoir and is configured to provide lubricant directly tothe lubricant reservoir. The valve stem is movable between a firstposition, corresponding to an refill reservoir state, and a secondposition, corresponding to a filled reservoir state. The valve stemallows lubricant to flow from the lubricant inlet to the first lubricantoutlet when the valve stem is in the first position and the valve stemseals the lubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and the firstlubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the second position.

According to yet another embodiment, a method of automatically stoppingthe flow of lubricant to a lubricant reservoir when the lubricantreservoir is full includes flowing lubricant through an autofill shutoffvalve and to internal plumbing disposed within the lubricant reservoirthrough a lubricant outlet of the autofill shutoff valve, shifting anactuator upward in response to a rising level of lubricant in thelubricant reservoir, and actuating a valve stem from a first position toa second position with the actuation plate, wherein the valve stemblocks the flow of lubricant through the autofill shutoff valve when inthe second position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a lubricant pump and lubricantreservoir.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of a portion of a lubricantreservoir.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a fill mechanism of a lubricantreservoir in a refill state.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a fill mechanism of a lubricantreservoir in a filled state.

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a fill mechanism of a lubricantreservoir in an overfill state.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of an actuator and vent valve for alubricant reservoir in a venting state.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of an actuator and vent valve for alubricant reservoir in a sealing state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of lubricant system 10. Lubricantsystem 10 includes lubricant pump 12 and lubricant reservoir 14.Lubricant pump 12 include wet section 16, dry section 18, motor 20,outlet 22, drive shaft 24, locating pin 26, reed switch 28, and ricerplate 30. Lubricant reservoir 14 includes base 32, housing 34, autofillshutoff valve 36, actuator 38, centerfill tube 40, stirring assembly 42,alignment plate 44, connecting bolt 46, and flag 50. Housing 34 includesside wall 52, top surface 54, upper portion 56, and lower portion 58.Side wall 52 includes weep hole 60. Autofill shutoff valve 36 includesvalve body 62, valve stem 64, and lubricant flow path 66. Actuator 38includes top surface 68, bottom surface 70, vent valve 72, seal 74,valve protection chamber 76, and protection mechanism 78. Protectionmechanism 78 includes valve actuation plate 80 and elastic member 82.Centerfill tube 40 includes first end 84, second end 86, and shoulder88. Second end 86 of centerfill tube 40 includes load ports 90.

Wet section 16 and dry section 18 of lubricant pump 12 are separated toprevent lubricant from traveling from wet section 16 to dry section 18.Pump outlet 22 extends into wet section 16 and is configured to receivea lubricant supply tube to provide lubricant downstream from lubricantsystem 10. Motor 20 is disposed within dry section 18. Drive shaft 24extends from motor 20, through wet section 16, and into lubricantreservoir 14. Lubricant reservoir 14 is mounted to lubricant pump 12,and lubricant reservoir 14 is configured to provide lubricant to wetsection 16. Base 32 is attached to wet section 16 of lubricant pump 12.Ricer plate 30 is disposed at the connection of base 32 and lubricantpump 12, such that lubricant flows through ricer plate 30 when enteringwet section 16 from lubricant reservoir 14. Reed switch 28 extendswithin wet section 16 through ricer plate 30 such that reed switch 28 ispositioned flush with ricer plate 30. Locating pin 26 is disposed on andabove drive shaft 24 and engages second end 86 of centerfill tube 40.Stirring assembly 42 is connected to drive shaft 24 and is rotatablydisposed within lubricant reservoir 14.

Base 32 of lubricant reservoir 14 is mounted to lubricant pump 12 and isconfigured to allow lubricant to pass downstream from lubricantreservoir 14 to wet section 16 through base 32. Side wall 52 of housing34 extends from base 32 to define lubricant reservoir 14, and topsurface 54 is attached to side wall 52 and encloses lubricant reservoir14. Actuator 38 is slidably disposed within housing 34 and divideshousing 34 into upper portion 56 and lower portion 58. Lower portion 58is configured to receive and store lubricant. Upper portion 56 isdisposed on an opposite side of actuator 38 from lower portion 58 andcontains air. Plate spring 48 is disposed between actuator 38 andalignment plate 44, and plate spring 48 is configured to bias actuator38 away from alignment plate 44. Vent valve 72 extends through actuator38 between top surface 68 and bottom surface 70. Vent valve 72 isconfigured to allow air to pass from lower portion 58 to upper portion56 as lubricant fills or is dispensed from lower portion 58. Valveprotection chamber 76 is disposed about and extends from a centralportion of actuator 38. Protection mechanism 78 is disposed within valveprotection chamber 76. Valve actuation plate 80 and elastic member 82are disposed within valve protection chamber 76. Elastic member 82 isdisposed below valve actuation plate 80 and biases valve actuation plate80 towards an uppermost portion of valve protection chamber 76.

Autofill shutoff valve 36 is mounted on an exterior side of top surface54 of housing 34. Lubricant flow path 66 extends through valve body 62and provides lubricant downstream through connecting bolt 46 and tocenterfill tube 40. Valve stem 64 extends through valve body 62, andextends from autofill shutoff valve 36, through alignment plate 44, andinto upper portion 56 of housing 34. Alignment plate 44 is disposed onan interior side of top surface 54 opposite autofill shutoff valve 36.First end 84 of centerfill tube 40 extends through alignment plate 44and top surface 54. Connecting bolt extends through valve body 62 andengages first end 84 of centerfill tube 40 thereby securing autofillshutoff valve 36 housing 34. Centerfill tube 40 extends from connectingbolt 46; through alignment plate 44, protection mechanism 78, andactuator 38; and into lower portion 58 of housing 34. Locating pin 26extends into second end 86 of centerfill tube 40 and helps maintain theposition of centerfill tube 40 within lubricant reservoir 14. Load ports90 extends into second end 86 of centerfill tube 40 and are configuredto provide lubricant to lubricant reservoir 14 from centerfill tube 40.Flag 50 is attached to centerfill tube 40 and disposed within lowerportion 58 of housing 34.

Stirring assembly is attached to drive shaft 24 and is rotated by motor20 when motor 20 is activated. Rotating stirring assembly 42 mixes thelubricant within lubricant reservoir 14, thereby encouraging the flow oflubricant as well as preventing the formation of and eliminating any airpockets. Flag 50 extends from centerfill tube 40 and stirring assembly42 passes by flag 50 as stirring assembly 42 rotates. Flag 50 isconfigured to wipe lubricant from stirring assembly 42 as stirringassembly 42 rotates within housing 34 and passes flag 50. In addition,flag 50 encourages mixing of the lubricant. Flag 50 is stationary suchthat stirring assembly 42 rotating past flag 50 creates turbulencewithin the lubricant. Reed switch 28 is configured to sense and alertthat a level of lubricant within lubricant reservoir 14 is low. A lowlevel alarm may be triggered by reed switch 28 to either indicate to auser that lubricant reservoir 14 should be refilled or activate a supplypump to begin supplying lubricant to lubricant reservoir 14. The lowlevel alarm reduces the frequency that lubricant reservoir 14 is filled,which correspondingly reduces the frequency that the supply tube isattached to autofill shutoff valve 36. Reducing the frequency that thesupply tube is attached to autofill shutoff valve 36 reduces thepossibility of introducing contaminants to the lubricant from repeatedlyattaching and detaching the supply tube.

Lubricant is loaded into lower portion 58 of housing 34 and storedwithin lower portion 58 until the lubricant is to be applied. Whenlubricant reservoir 14 runs low, lubricant reservoir 14 is refilledthrough autofill shutoff valve 36 and centerfill tube 40. Reed switch 28may provide a low level indication to a user to initiate the refillingof lubricant reservoir 14. The lubricant supply hose is connected toautofill shutoff valve 36 and lubricant is pumped to autofill shutoffvalve 36 from a supply reservoir through the lubricant supply hose. Thelubricant flows into autofill shutoff valve 36 and through lubricantflow path 66. The lubricant then flows through connecting bolt 46 andenters first end 84 of centerfill tube 40. After entering centerfilltube 40, the lubricant flows through centerfill tube 40 and is fed intolubricant reservoir 14 through load ports 90.

When the lubricant exits centerfill tube 40 through load ports 90, thelubricant is being loaded into lower portion 58 adjacent to theconnection between lubricant reservoir 14 and lubricant pump 12.Centerfill tube 40 thus provides lubricant proximate ricer plate 30 andstirring assembly 42. Providing the lubricant to lubricant reservoir 14proximate ricer plate 30 and wet section 16 fills lubricant reservoir 14near where the pumps are loaded thereby preventing air pockets fromforming within the lubricant. Furthermore, providing the lubricant tolubricant reservoir 14 proximate stirring assembly 42 encourages mixingof the newly provided lubricant, further discouraging the formation ofair pockets.

Actuator 38 is disposed near top surface 54 of housing 34 and isconfigured to slide upward in response to a rising level of lubricant.Actuator 38 is configured to move in response to changes in thelubricant level as the lubricant level rises and falls within lubricantreservoir 14. As such, it is understood that actuator 38 may be anysuitable mechanism for shifting upward with the rising lubricant level,such as a follower or diaphragm. Actuator 38 may be prevented fromdownward travel by a restraining mechanism, such as a ring extendingfrom centerfill tube 40 or a shelf extending into lubricant reservoir 14from sidewall 92.

As lubricant reservoir 14 is filled, the lubricant level in lowerportion 58 begins to rise, and the lubricant displaces any air that wasdisposed within lower portion 58. The air is vented out of lower portion58 and to upper portion 56 through vent valve 72 in actuator 38. The airthen exits housing 34 from upper portion 56 through weep hole 60 in sidewall 52. The lubricant level continues to rise until the lubricantencounters actuator 38. The lubricant causes vent valve 72 to shift to aclosed position, wherein vent valve 72 leaktight seal with actuator 38.With vent valve 72 in the closed position, the rising lubricant causesactuator 38 to shift upward.

Actuator 38 shifting upward within housing 34 causes valve actuationplate 80 to engage valve stem 64 and shift valve stem 64 from an openposition, wherein the lubricant can flow through autofill shutoff valve36, to a closed position, wherein the flow of lubricant through autofillshutoff valve 36 is stopped. With the flow of lubricant through autofillshutoff valve 36 is cut off, the pressure within supply line builds. Assuch, lubricant system 10 may include a pressure switch to automaticallyshut off the supply pump when lubricant reservoir 14 is full. In thisway, autofill shutoff valve 36 and the low level alarm triggered by reedswitch 28 ensure that lubricant reservoir 14 is refilled when empty.Limiting refills to when lubricant reservoir 14 is empty limits thenumber of refills and decreases contaminants within the lubricantsupply. In addition, autofill shutoff valve 36 ceases the flow oflubricant to housing 34 when lubricant reservoir 14 is full preventinglubricant reservoir 14 from being overfilled, thereby preventinglubricant reservoir 14 from experiencing damage due to overfilling.

Loading lubricant reservoir 14 through autofill shutoff valve 36 andcenterfill tube 40 eliminates the need for additional external plumbing.Centerfill tube 40 loads the lubricant into lower portion 58 oflubricant reservoir 14 proximate stirring assembly 42 and ricer plate30. Loading the lubricant near stirring assembly 42 encourages mixing ofthe lubricant which helps eliminate air pockets. In addition, loadinglubricant reservoir 14 near ricer plate 30, which is disposed at theboundary of lower portion 58 and wet section 16, allows the lubricant tobe loaded directly to wet section 16, without requiring the weight ofthe lubricant to force the lubricant to the pump, which also eliminatesair pockets and other undesirable features from forming in thelubricant.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of lubricant reservoir 14. Lubricantreservoir 14 includes housing 34, actuator 38, centerfill tube 40,alignment plate 44, connecting bolt 46, and plate spring 48. Actuator 38includes top surface 68, bottom surface 70, vent valve 72, seal 74,valve protection chamber 76, and protection mechanism 78. Valveprotection chamber 76 includes sidewall 92, groove 94, and retainingclip 96. Protection mechanism 78 includes valve actuation plate 80.Centerfill tube 40 includes first end 84 and anti-rotation surface 98.Alignment plate 44 includes collar 100, aperture 102, and anti-rotationfeature 104. Connecting bolt 46 includes head 106 and shank 108. Shank108 includes lubricant ports 110.

Actuator 38 is disposed within housing 34. Seal 74 extends from an outercircumferential edge of actuator 38 to form a leaktight seal withinhousing 34. Sidewall 92 extends from top surface 68 and defines valveprotection chamber 76. Groove 94 extends about an interior surface ofsidewall 92. Retaining clip 96 is disposed in valve protection chamber76 within groove 94, and is disposed near a top portion of valveprotection chamber 76. Valve actuation plate 80 is disposed within valveprotection chamber 76 below retaining clip 96, such that retaining clip96 secures valve actuation plate 80 within valve protection chamber 76.Vent valve 72 extends through actuator 38 and allows air to pass frombelow actuator 38 to above actuator 38 as well as from above actuator 38to below actuator 38. Vent valve 72 also creates a seal to preventlubricant from flowing from below actuator 38 to above actuator 38.

Alignment plate 44 is configured to be disposed on an interior side oftop surface 54 (best seen in FIG. 1) of housing 34. Plate spring 48 isdisposed between alignment plate 44 and actuator 38, and plate spring 48is configured to bias actuator 38 away from alignment plate 44. Collar100 of alignment plate 44 extends through an opening in top surface 54.Centerfill tube 40 extends through alignment plate 44, protectionmechanism 78, and actuator 38 as centerfill tube 40 extends throughhousing 34. First end 84 of centerfill tube 40 extends through collar100 of alignment plate 44 and is attached to shank 108 of connectingbolt 46. Anti-rotation surface 98 is disposed on an exterior side ofcenterfill tube 40. Anti-rotation surface 98 mates with anti-rotationfeature 104 on alignment plate 44 such that alignment plate 44 preventscenterfill tube 40 from rotating within housing 34. Aperture 102 extendsthrough alignment plate 44. Aperture 102 is configured such that valvestem 64 (shown in FIG. 1) may pass through aperture 102 to engage valveactuation plate 80.

Head 106 of connecting bolt 46 is attached to shank 108. Shank 108 isattached to first end 84 of centerfill tube 40. Shank 108 may includeexternal threading configured to mate with internal threading withinfirst end 84 of centerfill tube 40. Load ports 90 extend into shank 108.Shank 108 is preferably hollow such that lubricant is provided tocenterfill tube 40 through shank 108. The lubricant enters shank 108from lubricant flow path 66 (shown in FIG. 1) through load ports 90.

Lubricant is loaded into lubricant reservoir 14 during filling, andactuator 38 is configured to move upward within housing 34 as alubricant level within housing 34 rises. The lubricant flows through afill valve and to connecting bolt 46. The lubricant enters shank 108 ofconnecting bolt 46 through load ports 90 and flows to first end 84 ofcenterfill tube 40. The lubricant then flows through centerfill tube 40and is loaded into lubricant reservoir 14 through an end of centerfilltube 40 disposed opposite first end 84. Connecting bolt 46 thus connectsthe fill valve to both lubricant reservoir 14 and to centerfill tube 40.

As the lubricant is loaded into lubricant reservoir 14, a stirringassembly, such as stirring assembly 42 (shown in FIG. 1), rotates withinthe lower portion of lubricant reservoir 14. The rotation of thestirring assembly exerts a rotational force on centerfill tube 40.However, as centerfill tube 40 extends through alignment plate 44anti-rotation surface 98 engages anti-rotation feature 104 to preventcenterfill tube 40 from rotating. In addition, valve stem 64 extendsthrough aperture 102 to prevent alignment plate 44 from rotatingrelative to housing 34. As such, valve stem 64 extends through aperture102 to prevent alignment plate 44 from rotating, and anti-rotationsurface 98 engages anti-rotation feature 104 to prevent centerfill tube40 from rotating.

The lubricant flows into lubricant reservoir 14 and the lubricant levelrises until the lubricant interfaces with bottom surface 70 of actuator38. When the lubricant reaches bottom surface 70, vent valve 72 isshifted to a closed position by the lubricant thereby creating a sealthrough actuator 38 and preventing any lubricant from flowing from belowactuator 38 to above actuator 38. Vent valve 72 closing creates aleaktight seal and the rising level of lubricant forces actuator 38 upwithin lubricant reservoir 14. Actuator 38 continues to rise until valveprotection plate 80 encounters valve stem 64 and forces the valve stemfrom an open position to a closed position. With valve stem 64 in theclosed position the flow of lubricant is blocked, thereby stopping thefill process when lubricant reservoir 14 is full.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of lubricant reservoir 14 in a refillstate. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of lubricant reservoir 14 in afilled state. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of lubricant reservoir14 in an overfill state. Lubricant reservoir 14 includes housing 34,autofill shutoff valve 36, actuator 38′, centerfill tube 40, alignmentplate 44, connecting bolt 46, and plate spring 48. Actuator 38′ issubstantially similar to actuator 38 and similar reference numbers willbe used to identify similar components. Housing 34 includes side wall52, top surface 54, upper portion 56, and lower portion 58. Side wall 52includes weep hole 60. Autofill shutoff valve 36 includes valve body 62,valve stem 64, lubricant flow path 66, lubricant inlet 112, first outlet114, second outlet 116, first retaining member 118, second retainingmember 120, bias spring 122, shoulder 124, and bulb 126. Valve stem 64includes first end 128, second end 130, and sealing portion 132. Firstretaining member 118 includes first throat seal 134, first alignmentsleeve 136, and first retaining clip 138. Second retaining member 120includes second throat seal 140, second alignment sleeve 142, and secondretaining clip 144. Actuator 38′ includes top surface 68, bottom surface70, vent valve 72′, seal 74, valve protection chamber 76, and protectionmechanism 78. Valve protection chamber 76 includes sidewall 92, groove94, retaining clip 96, and first annular recess 146. Protectionmechanism 78 includes valve actuation plate 80 and elastic member 82.Valve actuation plate 80 includes top surface 148, bottom surface 150,plateau 152, and second annular recess 154. Centerfill tube 40 includesfirst end 84, shoulder 88, and plate retaining clip 156. Alignment plate44 includes collar 100 and aperture 102. Connecting bolt 46 includeshead 106 and shank 108. Shank 108 includes lubricant ports 110.

Actuator 38′ is disposed within housing 34 and divides housing 34 intoupper portion 56 and lower portion 58. Weep hole 60 extends through sidewall 52 to connect lubricant reservoir 14 to the atmosphere. Seal 74extends from an outer edge of actuator 38 and engages side wall 52. Ventvalve 72′ extends through actuator 38′ between top surface 68 and bottomsurface 70. Vent valve 72′ is similar to vent valve 72 in that air maypass through vent valve 72′ while lubricant is prevented from passingthrough vent valve 72′, but vent valve 72′ does not include componentsconfigured to create a leaktight seal between lower portion 58 and upperportion 56. Vent valve 72′ is instead sized so air is able to passthrough vent valve 72′ but lubricant is prevented from passing throughvent valve 72′. Sidewall 92 of valve protection chamber 76 extends fromtop surface 68 of actuator 38′ to define valve protection chamber 76.Groove 94 extends about sidewall 92, and retaining clip 96 is disposedwithin groove 94. Plate spring 48 extends between actuator 38′ andalignment plate 44, and plate spring 48 extends through valve actuationplate 80.

Valve actuation plate 80 and elastic member 82 are disposed within valveprotection chamber 76. Plateau 152 extends from top surface 148 of valveactuation plate 80. First annular recess 146 extends into actuator 38′and extends about centerfill tube 40. Second annular recess 154 extendsthrough bottom surface 150 of valve actuation plate 80 and into plateau152. Elastic member 82 is disposed below valve actuation plate 80, and afirst end of elastic member is disposed in first annular recess 146 anda second end of elastic member is disposed in second annular recess 154.Elastic member 82 biases valve actuation plate 80 away from actuator38′. Retaining clip 96 abuts top surface 148 of valve actuation plate 80and secures valve actuation plate 80 within valve protection chamber 76.Plate retaining clip 156 extends about centerfill tube 40 and abuts abottom surface 70 of actuator 38′. Plate retaining clip 156 isconfigured to limit the downward travel of actuator 38′ within housing.

Autofill shutoff valve 36 is disposed on top surface 54 of housing 34.Lubricant flow path 66 extends through valve body 62. Lubricant inlet112 extends into valve body 62 and connects with lubricant flow path 66.Lubricant inlet is configured to receive a supply tube and to providelubricant from the supply tube to lubricant flow path 66. Centerfilltube 40 extends through actuator 38′ and protection mechanism 78. Firstend 84 of centerfill tube 40 extends through alignment plate 44 andengages shank 108 of connecting bolt 46. Connecting bolt 46 extendsthrough autofill shutoff valve 36, and head 106 is disposed outside ofvalve body 62 while shank 108 extends through valve body 62 to engagecenterfill tube 40 and secure autofill shutoff valve 36 to housing 34.Shank 108 may include external threading and first end 84 of centerfilltube 40 may include internal threading configured to mate with theexternal threading on shank 108. Lubricant ports 110 are disposed withinlubricant flow path 66 and configured to receive lubricant fromlubricant flow path 66. First outlet 114 extends into valve body 62proximate the connection of shank 108 and connecting bolt 46, and firstoutlet 114 provides lubricant directly to lubricant reservoir 14 througha top portion of housing 34. Second outlet 116 extends into valve body62 and may receive external plumbing to allow lubricant to flow tolubricant reservoir through autofill shutoff valve 36 and the externalplumbing.

Valve stem 64 is disposed within valve body 62 and extends throughautofill shutoff valve 36. First end 128 extends through first retainingmember 118 and into upper portion 56 of lubricant reservoir 14. Sealingportion 132 extends from valve stem 64 and is disposed proximatelubricant inlet 112. Second end 130 extends through second retainingmember 120. Shoulder 124 extends about and is secured to valve stem 64,and bias spring 122 surrounds valve stem 64 and is disposed betweenshoulder 124 and second retaining member 120. Bulb 126 is secured tosecond retaining member 120 and disposed outside of autofill shutoffvalve 36.

In FIG. 3A, lubricant reservoir 14 is in a refill state wherein alubricant level within lubricant reservoir 14 is low. Lubricant isflowed to autofill shutoff valve 36 from a supply reservoir. Thelubricant flows through autofill shutoff valve 36, to centerfill tube40, and into lubricant reservoir 14. A lubricant supply hose from thesupply reservoir is connected to lubricant inlet 112. The lubricantflows through lubricant inlet 112 proceeds through lubricant flow path66 and to connecting bolt 46. The lubricant then flows into shank 108through lubricant ports 110. Where lubricant reservoir 14 is centrallyfilled, the lubricant proceeds through shank 108 and to centerfill tube40. Centerfill tube 40 loads the lubricant into lower portion 58 oflubricant reservoir 14 proximate stirring assembly 42 (shown in FIG. 1)and ricer plate 30 (shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively, the lubricant mayflow through lubricant ports 110 and proceed to second outlet 116. Whereexternal plumbing is connected to second outlet 116, the lubricant mayflow to the external plumbing and be provided to lubricant reservoir 14through the external plumbing. External plumbing may supply thelubricant to lubricant reservoir 14 at any suitable location, such asthrough an inlet port disposed at a bottom of lubricant reservoir 14.

As the lubricant level rises in lower portion 58 of housing 34, air isdisplaced from lower portion 58 and to upper portion 56. Vent valve 72′allows air to vent from lower portion 58 to upper portion 56 as thelubricant fills lower portion 58. The venting air may proceed to theatmosphere through weep hole 60 in sidewall 92.

In the refill state actuator 38′ rests on plate retaining clip 156, asplate retaining clip 156 defines the limit of downward travel foractuator 38′. While actuator 38′ is described as having a limiteddownward travel, it is understood that lubricant reservoir 14 mayinclude a follower plate that follows the lubricant level fully orpartially down lubricant reservoir 14 or may include a static seal, suchas a diaphragm. The lubricant level within lower portion 58 continues torise and the lubricant eventually reaches actuator 38′. Vent valve 72′prevents the lubricant from flowing from lower portion 58 to upperportion 56 through actuator 38′. As such, actuator 38′ begins to risewith the rising lubricant level.

In FIG. 3B lubricant reservoir 14 is shown in a filled state wherelubricant reservoir 14 is full. The rising lubricant level in lubricantreservoir 14 causes actuator 38′ to rise until valve actuation plate 80encounters first end 128 of valve stem 64. Elastic member 82 biasesvalve actuation plate 80 against retaining clip 96 as actuator 38′rises. Elastic member 82 is sufficiently resilient to maintain valveactuation plate 80 against retaining clip 96 even as valve stem 64 ispushed from a first position (shown in FIG. 2A) to a second position(shown in FIG. 2B). In the first position, valve stem 64 allowslubricant to flow through autofill shutoff valve 36 and to lower portion58 through centerfill tube 40. In the second position valve stem 64 cutsoff the flow of lubricant through autofill shutoff valve 36.

Lubricant continues to be fed into housing 34 through autofill shutoffvalve 36 and centerfill tube 40 as actuator 38′ rises. The risingactuator 38′ causes plateau 152 of valve actuation plate 80 to encountervalve stem 64 and shift valve stem 64 from the first position to thesecond position. As valve stem 64 shifts to the second position, firstend 128 of valve stem 64 slides through first retaining member 118.First retaining member 118 and second retaining member 120 balance valvestem 64 to minimize the force necessary to actuate autofill shutoffvalve 36 to the second position, thereby reducing wear on the system andproviding a more responsive and timely control of the flow of lubricant.

Plateau 152 abuts first end 128 of valve stem 64 and forces valve stem64 up until sealing portion 132 is forced into a connection disposedbetween lubricant inlet 112 and lubricant flow path 66. Pushing sealingportion 132 into the connection blocks the flow of lubricant throughautofill shutoff valve 36. As such, sealing portion 132 preventsadditional lubricant from flowing to lubricant reservoir 14. With theconnection between lubricant inlet 112 and lubricant flow path 66sealed, the pump that was providing lubricant to lubricant reservoir 14may deadhead. A pressure sensor may sense the increased pressure in thesupply tube to automatically cease fill operations. Alternatively, aswitch may be activated by autofill shutoff valve 36 to automaticallyshut off the supply pump.

As valve actuation plate 80 pushes valve stem 64 upward, second end 130of valve stem 64 extends through second retaining member 120 andprojects into bulb 126. Bulb 126 is preferably made of a translucentmaterial, such that second end 130 is visible through bulb 126. As such,second end 130 projecting into bulb 126 provides a visual indication toa user that lubricant reservoir 14 is full, and thus that the flow oflubricant through autofill shutoff valve 36 has been stopped. Whileautofill shutoff valve 36 is described as including bulb 126 forproviding a visual indication, it is understood that autofill shutoffvalve 36 may include a mechanism activated by second end 130 to indicatethat lubricant reservoir 14 is full, such as a cycle switch.

When valve stem 64 rises to the second position, bias spring 122 iscompressed between shoulder 124 and second retaining member 120. Biasspring 122 remains compressed until the lubricant level in lower portion58 drops as lubricant is dispensed from lubricant reservoir 14. Once thelubricant level drops sufficiently, actuator 38′ travels downward andcauses valve actuation plate 80 to disengage from valve stem 64. Assuch, valve stem 64 may return to the position shown in FIG. 3A, andbias spring 122 assists valve stem 64 in returning to the position shownin FIG. 3A.

Autofill shutoff valve 36 automatically blocking the flow of lubricantwhen lubricant reservoir 14 is full helps prevent overfilling oflubricant reservoir 14 and helps prevent damage to various componentsthat may occur due to overfilling. In addition, autofill shutoff valve36 reduces potential wasting of lubricant due to the lubricantoverflowing through weep hole 60 if reservoir is overfilled.

In FIG. 3C lubricant reservoir 14 is shown in an overfill state. Anoverfill state occurs when the lubricant level has risen beyond thatrequired to cause autofill shutoff valve 36 to shift to the secondposition. The lubricant level may rise due to thermal expansion of thelubricant, due to a user manually filling the reservoir, due to othercauses. When lubricant reservoir 14 experiences an overfill state,protection mechanism 78 prevents the rising actuator 38′ from damagingautofill shutoff valve 36.

To cut off the flow of lubricant to lubricant reservoir 14 throughautofill shutoff valve 36, valve stem 64 is actuated from the firstposition (shown in FIG. 2A) to the second position (shown in FIGS. 2Band 2C). In the second position valve stem 64 is incapable of beingdisplaced vertically upward due to sealing portion 132 engaging valvebody 62 to seal the connection between lubricant inlet 112 and lubricantflow path 66. As such, valve stem 64 cannot travel upward as actuator38′ travels upward due to the rising lubricant level within lubricantreservoir 14. The rising actuator 38′ could thus damage autofill shutoffvalve 36.

Protection mechanism 78 is configured to protect lubrication system 10from overpressurization that would damage lubricant reservoir 14.Protection mechanism 78 also prevents autofill shutoff valve 36 frombeing damaged by the rising actuator 38′. Overfill protection mechanismis configured such that valve actuation plate 80 remains static relativeto sidewall 92 of housing 34 as actuator 38′ rises in response to anoverfill event. Valve stem 64 abuts plateau 152 of overfill plate. Asactuator 38′ rises in response to the rising level of lubricant, valvestem 64 exerts sufficient force on valve actuation plate 80 to causeelastic member 82 to compress within valve protection chamber 76. Thecompression of elastic member 82 allows valve actuation plate 80 toremain static relative to valve stem 64 and sidewall 92, therebypreventing excessive force from being transmitted to valve stem 64 andautofill shutoff valve 36. The lubricant within lower portion 58 maycontinue to expand until seal 74 passes weep hole 60. When seal 74passes weep hole 60, the expanding and excess lubricant may vent throughweep hole 60.

Protection mechanism 78 prevents lower portion 58 from beingoverpressurized due to excess lubricant being present in lower portion58. As such, overfill protection mechanism prevents damage fromoccurring to housing 34, actuator 38′, autofill shutoff valve 36, andother components of lubricant system 10. In addition, protectionmechanism 78 reduces lubricant waste because the lubricant in lowerportion 58 is able to expand before the lubricant is vented through weephole 60, thereby preventing lubricant from being vented too quickly.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of actuator 38 for lubricant reservoir14 in a venting state. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of actuator 38for lubricant reservoir 14 in a sealing state. Lubricant reservoir 14includes housing 34, autofill shutoff valve 36, actuator 38, centerfilltube 40, alignment plate 44, connecting bolt 46, and plate spring 48.Housing 34 includes side wall 52 and top surface 54, and side wall 52includes weep hole 60. Actuator 38 includes top surface 68, bottomsurface 70, vent valve 72, seal 74, valve protection chamber 76,protection mechanism 78, and bore 158. Valve protection chamber 76includes sidewall 92, groove 94, retaining clip 96, and first annularrecess 146. Protection mechanism 78 includes valve actuation plate 80and elastic member 82. Valve actuation plate 80 includes top surface148, bottom surface 150, plateau 152, and second annular recess 154.Vent valve 72 includes ball 160, valve seal 162, and retaining member164. Retaining member 164 includes air passage 166. Centerfill tube 40includes plate retaining clip 156.

Actuator 38 is disposed within housing 34 divides housing 34 into upperportion 56 and lower portion 58. Weep hole 60 extends through side wall52 to connect lubricant reservoir 14 to the atmosphere. Seal 74 extendsfrom an outer edge of actuator 38 and engages side wall 52. Sidewall 92of valve protection chamber 76 extends from top surface of actuator 38to define valve protection chamber 76. Protection mechanism 78 isdisposed within valve protection chamber 76. Retaining clip 96 isdisposed within groove 94 of sidewall 92. Valve actuation plate 80 andelastic member 82 are disposed within valve protection chamber 76 belowretaining clip 96, with elastic member 82 disposed below valve actuationplate 80. A first end of elastic member 82 is disposed in first annularrecess 146 and a second end of elastic member 82 is disposed in secondannular recess 154.

Bore 158 extends through actuator 38 between top surface 68 and bottomsurface 70. Vent valve 72 is disposed within bore 158. Valve seal 162 isdisposed within bore 158 proximate top surface 68 of actuator 38, andretaining member 164 is disposed about bore 158 proximate bottom surface70 of actuator 38. Ball 160 is disposed within bore 158 between valveseal 162 and retaining member 164. Air passage 166 extend throughretaining member 164. A diameter of a lower opening of bore 158 isgreater than a diameter of a top opening of bore 158.

Autofill shutoff valve 36 is disposed on an exterior side of top surface54 of housing 34. Connecting bolt 46 extends through autofill shutoffvalve 36 and engages centerfill tube 40. Centerfill tube 40 extendsthrough alignment plate 44, actuator 38, and protection mechanism 78.Connecting bolt 46 secures autofill shutoff valve 36 to housing throughthe connection of connecting bolt 46 and centerfill tube 40. Plateretaining clip 156 extends about centerfill tube 40 and defines a lowerlimit of travel for actuator 38.

Autofill shutoff valve 36, connecting bolt 46, and centerfill tube 40form a flow path for lubricant to enter lower portion 58 of housing 34.Lubricant enters autofill shutoff valve 36 through a lubricant inlet andflows to connecting bolt 46. The lubricant flows through connecting bolt46 and to centerfill tube 40, and the lubricant flows through centerfilltube 40 and is loaded into lower portion 58 of housing 34. The lubricantis loaded into lower portion 58 of housing 34 and the lubricant levelrises until the lubricant encounters actuator 38. Once the lubricantencounters actuator 38, the rising lubricant level shifts actuator 38upwards until autofill shutoff valve 36 is actuated from a firstposition (shown in FIG. 3A) to a second position (shown in FIG. 3B),thereby blocking the flow of lubricant to lower portion 58.

In FIG. 4A, actuator 38 is shown in a venting state, where vent valve 72is open. Lubricant is disposed within lower portion 58 of housing 34. Aslubricant is fed to lower portion 58 the lubricant level rises withinhousing 34. The rising lubricant level displaces air from lower portion58 of housing. The air is vented from lower portion 58 to upper portion56 through vent valve 72. The air vents to the atmosphere from upperportion 56 through weep hole 60. Ball 160 rests on retaining member 164as lubricant fills lower portion. Air passage 166 through retainingmember 164 allows air to pass through vent valve 72 even with ball 160resting on retaining member 164. Lubricant continues to fill lowerportion 58 until the lubricant level reaches ball 160.

In FIG. 4B, actuator 38 is shown in a sealing state where vent valve 72is closed. The lubricant level rises within lower portion 58 until thelubricant contacts ball 160. Ball 160 is configured to shift with therising level of lubricant, such as by floating on the lubricant. Ball160 shifts from the venting position, shown in FIG. 4A, to the sealingposition, shown in FIG. 4B. In the sealing position ball 160 contactsvalve seal 162 and forms a leaktight seal through bore 158. As such,vent valve 72 prevents lubricant from passing through bore 158 betweenlower portion 58 and upper portion 56.

With vent valve 72 in the sealing position lubricant is prevented fromflowing from lower portion 58 to upper portion 56. The lubricant canneither flow around actuator 38 due to seal 74 nor flow through actuator38 due to vent valve 72. As such, the rising lubricant level shiftsactuator 38 upwards within housing 34. Actuator 38 continues to risewith the lubricant level until the flow of lubricant is cut off.

After the flow of lubricant to lower portion 58 is cut off, thelubricant maintains vent valve 72 in the sealing position until thelubricant level drops. As the lubricant level in lower portion 58 drops,actuator 38 shifts downwards with the dropping lubricant level. Actuator38 continues to shift downward until actuator 38 encounters plateretaining clip 156. Plate retaining clip 156 maintains a position ofactuator 38 on centerfill tube 40 as the lubricant level continues tofall.

With actuator 38 supported on plate retaining clip 156 vent valve 72shifts from the sealing position, shown in FIG. 4B, back to the ventingposition, shown in FIG. 4A. Ball 160 shifts within bore 158 to againrest on retaining member 164. Air enters lower portion 58 as thelubricant is dispensed to fill the volume of lower portion 58 vacated bythe dispensed lubricant. The air flows into upper portion 56 throughweep hole 60. From upper portion 56, the air flows through bore 158,around ball 160, and through air passage 166 in retaining member 164 toenter lower portion.

As such, in the venting position vent valve 72 allows air to pass fromlower portion 58 and to upper portion 56 as lubricant fills lowerportion 58. Vent valve 72 also allows air to pass from upper portion 56and to lower portion 58 as lubricant is dispensed from lower portion 58.In the sealing position vent valve 72 prevents lubricant from flowingfrom lower portion 58 to upper portion 56, and vent valve 72 creates aleaktight seal through bore 158 thereby enabling actuator 38 to risewith a rising lubricant level.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A lubricant reservoir comprising: a housingdefining the reservoir; a reservoir inlet extending through a top of thehousing; an actuator disposed within the housing and dividing thehousing into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the actuatoris configured to shift upwards in response to a rising lubricant levelwithin the lower portion; and an autofill shutoff valve disposed on thehousing, wherein the autofill shutoff valve comprises: a valve body; alubricant flowpath extending through the valve body; a lubricant inletextending into the valve body and connected to the lubricant flowpath; afirst lubricant outlet extending into the valve body and connected tothe lubricant flowpath, wherein the first lubricant outlet is disposedadjacent the housing and is configured to provide lubricant directly tothe housing; and a valve stem extending through the lubricant flowpathbetween the lubricant inlet and the first lubricant outlet, wherein thevalve stem is movable between a first position, corresponding to arefill state, and a second position, corresponding to a filled state;wherein the valve stem allows lubricant to flow from the lubricant inletto the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the firstposition and the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant between thelubricant inlet and the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is inthe second position.
 2. The lubricant reservoir of claim 1, wherein theautofill shutoff valve further comprises: a constriction disposed withinthe lubricant flow path between the lubricant inlet and the firstlubricant outlet; and a sealing portion extending from the valve stem;wherein the sealing portion is disengaged from the constriction when thevalve stem is in the first position and the sealing portion is engagedwith and seals the constriction when the valve stem is in the secondposition.
 3. The lubricant reservoir of claim 1, wherein the autofillshutoff valve further comprises: a second lubricant outlet extendinginto the valve body and connected to the lubricant flowpath, wherein thesecond lubricant outlet is configured to provide lubricant to externalplumbing.
 4. The lubricant reservoir of claim 1, and further comprising:a retaining member secured to the valve body, wherein a first end of thevalve stem extends through the retaining member and into the housing. 5.The lubricant reservoir of claim 4, wherein the retaining member furthercomprises: a retaining body attached to the valve body; a throat sealdisposed within the retaining body; an alignment sleeve disposed withinthe retaining body; and a retaining clip disposed within the retainingbody and securing the alignment sleeve and the throat seal within theretaining body; wherein the first end of the valve stem extends throughthe throat seal, the alignment sleeve, and the retaining clip.
 6. Thelubricant reservoir of claim 4, and further comprising: an alignmentplate disposed on an interior side of the top surface, wherein thealignment plate includes an aperture and wherein the retaining memberextends into the aperture to prevent rotation of the alignment plate. 7.The lubricant reservoir of claim 1, and further comprising: a fill tubeextending from the valve body and through the actuator, wherein the filltube is configured to receive lubricant from the first lubricant outletand provide the lubricant to the housing.
 8. The lubricant reservoir ofclaim 7, and further comprising: a connecting bolt extending through thevalve body and connected to the fill tube, wherein the connecting boltsecures the autofill shutoff valve to the housing.
 9. The lubricantreservoir of claim 8, wherein the connecting bolt further comprises: ahead; a shank extending from the head; a supply path extending throughthe shank and configured to provide lubricant to the fill rod; and alubricant port extending into the shank and in fluid communication withthe lubricant flowpath.
 10. An autofill shutoff valve comprising: avalve body; a lubricant flowpath extending through the valve body; alubricant inlet extending into the valve body and connected to thelubricant flowpath; a first lubricant outlet extending into the valvebody and connected to the lubricant flowpath, wherein the firstlubricant outlet extends downwards within the valve body to be adjacenta lubricant reservoir and is configured to provide lubricant directly tothe lubricant reservoir; and a valve stem extending through thelubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and the first lubricantoutlet, wherein the valve stem is movable between a first position,corresponding to a refill reservoir state, and a second position,corresponding to a filled reservoir state; wherein the valve stem allowslubricant to flow from the lubricant inlet to the first lubricant outletwhen the valve stem is in the first position and the valve stem sealsthe lubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and the firstlubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the second position.
 11. Theautofill shutoff valve of claim 10, wherein the valve stem furthercomprises: a first end; a second end; and a stem body extending betweenand connecting the first end and the second end, wherein the stem bodyis configured to seal the lubricant flowpath between the lubricant inletand the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the secondposition.
 12. The autofill shutoff valve of claim 11, wherein the stembody further comprises a sealing portion extending from the stem body.13. The autofill shutoff valve of claim 12, and further comprising: aconstriction disposed within the lubricant flow path, wherein thesealing portion is configured to mate with the constriction.
 14. Theautofill shutoff valve of claim 11, and further comprising: a firstretaining member secured to the valve body, wherein the first end of thevalve stem extends through the first retaining member.
 15. The autofillshutoff valve of claim 14, wherein the first retaining member furthercomprises: a retaining body attached to the valve body adjacent thelubricant inlet; a throat seal disposed within the retaining body; analignment sleeve disposed within the retaining body; and a retainingclip disposed within the retaining body and securing the alignmentsleeve and the throat seal within the retaining body; wherein the firstend of the valve stem extends through the throat seal, the alignmentsleeve, and the retaining clip.
 16. The autofill shutoff valve of claim14, and further comprising: a second retaining member secured to thevalve body opposite the first retaining member, wherein the second endof the valve stem extends through the second retaining member.
 17. Theautofill shutoff valve of claim 11, and further comprising: a retainingmember secured to the valve body and disposed above the valve stem; ashoulder disposed on the second end of the valve stem; and a bias springdisposed between the shoulder and the retaining member, wherein the biasspring biases the valve stem towards the first position.
 18. Theautofill shutoff valve of claim 17, and further comprising: a bulbattached to the retaining member and disposed at least partially outsideof the valve body; and a visual indicator disposed on the second end ofthe valve stem, wherein the visual indicator is configured to extendinto the bulb when the valve stem is in the second position.
 19. Theautofill shutoff valve of claim 10, and further comprising: a secondlubricant outlet extending into the lubricant flow path, wherein thesecond lubricant outlet is configured to connect to external plumbing.20. A method of automatically stopping the flow of lubricant to alubricant reservoir when the lubricant reservoir is full, the methodcomprising: flowing lubricant through an autofill shutoff valve anddirectly to internal plumbing disposed within the lubricant reservoirthrough a lubricant outlet of the autofill shutoff valve; shifting anactuator upward in response to a rising level of lubricant in thelubricant reservoir; and actuating a valve stem from a first position toa second position with the actuator, wherein the valve stem blocks theflow of lubricant through the autofill shutoff valve when in the secondposition.
 21. An autofill shutoff valve comprising: a valve body; alubricant flowpath extending through the valve body; a lubricant inletextending into the valve body and connected to the lubricant flowpath; afirst lubricant outlet extending into the valve body and connected tothe lubricant flowpath, wherein the first lubricant outlet adjacent alubricant reservoir and is configured to provide lubricant directly tothe lubricant reservoir; and a valve stem extending through thelubricant flowpath between the lubricant inlet and the first lubricantoutlet, wherein the valve stem is movable between a first position,corresponding to a refill reservoir state, and a second position,corresponding to a filled reservoir state; a retaining member secured tothe valve body, the retaining member comprising: a retaining bodyattached to the valve body adjacent the lubricant inlet; a throat sealdisposed within the retaining body; an alignment sleeve disposed withinthe retaining body; and a retaining clip disposed within the retainingbody and securing the alignment sleeve and the throat seal within theretaining body; wherein the first end of the valve stem extends throughthe throat seal, the alignment sleeve, and the retaining clip; whereinthe first end of the valve stem extends through the retaining memberwherein the valve stem allows lubricant to flow from the lubricant inletto the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is in the firstposition and the valve stem seals the lubricant flowpath between thelubricant inlet and the first lubricant outlet when the valve stem is inthe second position.